Laughing in the Face of Death
by Mark of CTown
Summary: ZackFreddy SLASH! Zack tries to take a drunk Freddy home when they run into a group of dangerous cons. Freddy wants to pick a fight...please R and R! The story is now completed with seven chapters!
1. Chapter One

**Laughing in the Face of Death - Chapter One  
**  
He didn't know why he was out there. He shouldn't have been. He should be at home, doing his homework, or his chores, or something that would keep his father in a happy mood. If his father wasn't in a happy mood, then the pain would ensue. He could almost feel his father's leather belt hitting him squarely across the back. But that wasn't what was important at the moment.  
  
Sixteen year-old Zack Mooneyham ran his hands through his long dark hair. He pushed open the door to the club. The blaring music almost deafened Zack. Sticking his fingers into his ears, he looked around the club. There were so many people there, dancing around, drinking, smoking, doing anything. Zack was shoved around a bit until he saw what he was looking for. He could have spotted him anywhere, even in this large crowd.  
  
Zack pushed past people until he came to the bar at the far corner of the club. He wasn't sure that Freddy had seen him lean on the bar next to him. Freddy was holding a pint of beer, and he was staring into the distance. A bottle of pills lay next to his other hand, and a look of concentration mixed with worry creased his face.  
  
"Freddy," Zack called to his best friend. Freddy didn't even flinch. Zack sighed loudly and waved his hand infront of Freddy's eyes. Freddy didn't even blink.  
  
"Freddy," Zack tried again. "Freddy! Freddy! Spazzy McGee, is anyone there?" Freddy didn't answer. Zack cupped his hand under Freddy's chin and turned Freddy's face until it faced his. Freddy's piercing blue eyes made contact with Zack's dark brown ones. Zack held in his breath.  
  
Freddy was gorgeous. Zack had always thought this, ever since they had started working together in the School of Rock band in the fifth grade. Over the years Zack and Freddy had grown closer as best friends, and every day Zack's love for his best friend had deepened. It hurt him so much to see Freddy slip into a depression after School of Rock broke up. After a while Freddy said that he would be okay, that it didn't matter anymore. But Zack could see that he was lying. Freddy's life went down a different path; he was sneaking into clubs, drinking from three to five bottles of beer a day, and taking more then enough pills recommended to help him with his ADD.  
  
There was a time when Freddy was knocking on Zack's door at around one o'clock in the morning. (Zack was lucky that his father wasn't home; his mother didn't care what was going on.) Freddy was dead drunk, and, without Zack's invitation, he slumped inside of Zack's house and threw himself on Zack's bed, where he fell into a drunken sleep. Zack was too tired to object to Freddy sleeping on his bed, and almost had half the mind to join him. But, alas, Zack spread out a blanket and slept on the floor. Zack would die for Freddy if he could.  
  
Zack jerked himself back into reality. He was still staring into Freddy's blue eyes, so he looked away, blushing a dark red. Zack knew that Freddy wasn't actually seeing him; he knew that Freddy's mind was some place else.  
  
"Freddy," Zack said, shaking Freddy's head a little bit.  
  
Freddy blinked for a moment, and looked around, obviously dazed. Finally his eyes rested on Zack, and he gave forth a half smile.  
  
"S'at you, Zack?" Freddy slurred, blinking wildly again.  
  
"Yes, it's me," Zack answered, dropping his hand from Freddy's chin. "How many beers have you had today?"  
  
"I wanna'd go to s'x," he mumbled. "But, I'm almos' on three." Something came to him, and he added, "W'at are you doing here? Isn't your Dad gonna kill you if he finds you here?"  
  
"He doesn't know that I'm here," Zack admitted. "He thinks that I'm at the library."  
  
Freddy laughed in a loud, drunken way. Then he started having a coughing fit, in which he popped another bill and chugged the rest of his beer. He fixed his piercing stare on Zack again.  
  
"So, why you here again?" Freddy repeated. Zack blushed redder then he had already been.  
  
"I came to take you home," he said after a moment. "You shouldn't be here. You're drinking yourself to death, Freddy. You might end up dying of a drug overdose."  
  
Freddy's face suddenly became stricken. He narrowed his blue eyes, and said, in his coldest tone of voice, "Lay off me, Mooneyham. I don't need you harping on me. I don't need your 'wisdom' in my life at the moment."  
  
"I'm just worried about you, Freddy!" Zack exclaimed. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you!"  
  
"Shut up! You sound like my parents! What would you know about me, anyway?"  
  
"We're best friends, Freddy! Of course I know what's wrong with you! Don't tell me that you think that I haven't seen you popping pills during class, or drinking on the street corner. I think I even saw you doing weed once!"  
  
Freddy slammed his fists on the table and strode off towards the bar exit. Zack was a bit hesitant to follow him. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to be around Freddy when he was in a testy mood, especially if he was drunk. But Zack would follow Freddy anywhere and right now that anywhere was outside the club door.  
  
Freddy wasn't that far ahead of him when Zack managed to exit the bar. He ran up after him and grabbed Freddy by the shoulder. Zack spun Freddy around until he was face to face with the blonde drummer. Their bodies were so close, Zack observed, that he could have kissed Freddy without having to lean in. But kissing Freddy at the moment was not a good idea.  
  
"Freddy, please," Zack whispered, his eyes tearing slightly. He hated being so sensitive. "Please, come with me."  
  
Freddy looked at Zack, some of his anger melting away. Freddy hated seeing Zack near tears. Then again, he almost enjoyed it. Zack had a small pout playing around on his lips, and Freddy loved seeing Zack pout. It made Zack look, in Freddy's mind, sexier then usual. Not that Zack never looked sexy any other time of the day. Freddy often found himself staring at Zack during class, only to end up blushing red and looking away whenever a teacher called on him to answer a question and he hadn't been paying attention. Yes, it was true. Freddy Jones was in love with Zack Mooneyham. He had been, ever since the fifth grade. Freddy would die for Zack if he could.  
  
Freddy was about ready to give into Zack's plea when there was a sound of breaking glass behind them. Freddy spun around, Zack peering over his shoulder. A group of older men where standing next to a car. One of them was holding a bat, with which he just bashed in the car's side window.  
  
Freddy, being drunk, found himself walking up to the older men.  
  
"Stop beating in that car," Freddy said, pointing his index finger at one of the men's chest. The man looked at him.  
  
"Whose this?" the man said in a mock voice to all of his friends. "Are you a little tough guy? What are you going to do, beat me up?"  
  
"Actually, I think I will," Freddy retorted. The man swung a punch at Freddy, in which he dunked. Freddy slammed his fist into the man's stomach. The man let out a scream, and one of his friends thrust Freddy backwards.  
  
Suddenly, there was a noise that stopped Zack's heart from beating for a moment.  
  
It was a clicking noise, followed by something that made a whizzing sound. Right away Zack knew what had happened.  
  
One of the men had fired a gun.  
  
There was another noise of a bullet piercing the skin. Freddy's face froze, horrorstruck. All of the color drained from Freddy's face, along with Zack's. Freddy's breathing began to slow as he slipped backwards into Zack's open arms. Both of the boys collapsed onto the pavement. Freddy's head was lying on Zack's shoulder as he blinked up at the dark haired guitarist.  
  
Freddy's vision blurred in and out of focus. A pain numbed his body, and he was wondering if this was really death. If this was really the end of it. But at least he was dying in Zack's arms. Freddy reached one hand up to Zack's pale face and caressed it for a moment. His vision darkened. Then he saw Zack's face again.  
  
It darkened.  
  
Then there was Zack.  
  
Dark.  
  
Zack.  
  
Dark.  
  
Zack.  
  
Dark.  
  
Zack.  
  
Dark.  
  
Zack.  
  
Freddy dropped his arm to his side. He felt wet, cold tears dropping onto his face.  
  
"Freddy, don't die," he heard Zack whispering in a high tone of voice. "Freddy, please. Freddy, come back to me."  
  
Freddy's vision darkened once more. He began to drift away. Drift away to what he thought was death. Infact, he had drifted so far away that he could barely hear or feel anything anymore.  
  
He couldn't hear Zack continue to call his name.  
  
He couldn't hear the sound of the ambulance.  
  
He couldn't hear Zack tell him how much he loved him.  
  
He couldn't hear Zack tell him that he needed him; that his life depended on him.  
  
He couldn't feel Zack run his fingers through his spiked-up hair.  
  
He couldn't feel Zack's kiss on his forehead.  
  
He couldn't feel Zack's head drop onto his chest.  
  
He couldn't feel Zack's tears dripping onto his clothes, making them wet.  
  
All that Freddy could hear and feel, was the sound of his laughter. He was laughing as he was dying.  
  
Or at least Freddy thought that he was dying...  
  
**Xxxxxxxx {tbc}**


	2. Chapter Two

**Laughing in the Face of Death – Chapter Two  
  
**Freddy awoke to bright lights shinning above him. _'Where am I?'_ he thought to himself. _'Is this_ _Heaven?'_ He paused and looked around for a second. '_Nope, definitely not Heaven.'  
_  
Freddy found himself lying in a bed in the hospital. He was wearing a white hospital gown, and his arm was hooked up to an intervenes. He found himself wondering why he was there when he felt a pain in his stomach. Pulling up the gown, he looked down at himself. Freddy dropped the gown down in shock. His stomach was wrapped in bandages. But why?  
  
Suddenly, a nurse burst into Freddy's hospital room. "Bless you, you're awake!" She breathed in happily. "I'm Nina. I'll be taking care of you." She held out a hand. Freddy shook it. Nina was an old woman, with white hair that was tied into a bun in the back of her head.  
  
"We didn't think that you were going to make it," Nina was continuing on as she straightened Freddy's bed sheets. "The doctors weren't sure that the operation was going to come out okay. They thought that it would be fatal. You had as all worried, especially that young friend of yours."  
  
Before Freddy could inquire whom his young friend was, a phone rang on his bedside table. Nina rushed to answer it.  
  
"Hello?" she answered. "Yes, he's awake. Yes, you may talk to him." Nina handed the phone to Freddy. "It's your parents, dear," she said. Nina left the room. Freddy put the receiver to his ear.  
  
"Hello?" he said.  
  
"Freddy, Freddy is that you?" a voice that belonged to Freddy's father, Mr. Jones, questioned. "What happened? Are you sure you're okay? Do you need us with you? Is there anybody with you?"  
  
"Dad, Dad calm down!" Freddy exclaimed, laughing a little bit, into the phone. "Yes, I'm alright. I'm at the hospital. The nurses and doctors are taking good care of me."  
  
Mr. Jones let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good," he said. "But I still need to know what happened. Where were you last night?"  
  
"Uh..." Freddy replied, confused. Where was he last night? He couldn't remember a thing. Suddenly, his stomach sent pain searing through his entire body. Then he remembered everything.  
  
The club. His beers. The bottle of pills. Someone standing next to him. Someone trying to get him out of the club. Him striding away from that someone. That someone following him out of the club. That someone spinning him around. The sound of breaking glass. A group of older men. Him walking up to the older men. Him pointing a finger. An attempted punch. Him punching one of the older men in the stomach. Him being thrust backwards.  
  
Then there was a fired shot. A shot that had sounded so horrible to him. A shot that hit him in the stomach. Freddy remembered smelling blood and growing cold as he slipped backwards into the open arms of that someone that he couldn't remember. He did remember going all the way down until most of his lower body was touching the pavement. The cold, hard pavement. But that someone was supporting his upper body. His head was lying on that someone's shoulder. He remembered thinking about death. He remembered thinking about how happy his was to be dying in that someone's arms. Whoever that someone was...  
  
Freddy also remembered his vision going in and out of focus. His vision growing darker, and then coming back to that someone's face.  
  
Darker.  
  
That someone.  
  
Darker.  
  
That someone.  
  
Darker.  
  
That someone.  
  
Darker.  
  
That someone.  
  
Freddy remembered his eyes making contact with that someone's eyes. That someone had dark brown eyes.  
  
Beautiful, dark brown eyes...  
  
Suddenly, Freddy hit himself with his free hand. He knew who that someone was.  
  
Zack. His sweet, beautiful Zack.  
  
"Zack..." Freddy whispered, accidentally, into the phone.  
  
"What?" Mr. Jones called frantically. "What did you say, Freddy?"  
  
Freddy was jerked back into reality. "Um, nothing Dad," Freddy started in. "I was walking home from the...video store...and I was shot. In the stomach." There was silence as Freddy finished his statement. He knew that if he told his parents the real truth, of how he was drunk and picked a fight with a dangerous group of men, they may actually kill him.  
  
"Dad?" Freddy called into the phone. "Where are you?"  
  
"Out in California," Mr. Jones replied. "On a business trip. With your mother. Listen son, my cell phone is running out of battery. We were planning on flying back to New York today, but they delayed our flight until eleven o'clock tonight. We'll be with you as soon as we can get into the airport."  
  
"Alright," Freddy answered. "I love you guys." Mr. Jones had hung up the phone, so Freddy didn't receive an answer.  
  
After he had hung up his own phone, Freddy sighed loudly as he slumped back into his pillows. He began to tap his fingers on the bedside table. His ADD was acting up, but Freddy paid it no mind. Instead, he was busy thinking of something else. Or someone else, to be exact.  
  
_'What had happened to Zack?'_ was the only thing that Freddy had been thinking about since he had remembered that it was Zack that he had been with last night. _'Did he get away? Was it him who called the ambulance? Did he leave me there if the police had shown up? Was he arresting in thinking that he was the one who shot me?'  
_  
Then one of Freddy's worst fears crept into his mind. It was a fear that made his heart race and all of the color drain from his face.  
  
_'Or worse,'_ Freddy thought, '_did Zack get killed?'_ It was possible, Freddy knew, that the men had fired on Zack, and that those shots had been fatal. He couldn't find any reason that the men would have not shot Zack, being that he was a witness to them shooting him. The thought of Zack's dead body lying next to his was unbearable, and the next thing he knew he was screaming, "No! NO!" in terror and thrashing around in his the hospital bed. Freddy must have been louder then he thought, for Nina and five other nurses came running in. They managed to calm Freddy down until all that was left of his tantrum were tears pouring from his eyes.  
  
"The poor thing," one of the other nurses whispered, gently stroking Freddy's hair, which was still in spikes. Freddy pushed her hand away gently. The only person he wanted to stroke his hair in a comforting way was Zack.  
  
"What went wrong?" one of the other nurses asked him. When Freddy didn't answer, she shrugged and walked off.  
  
"You have some visitors, dear," Nina said to him. "I was going to send them in, but you might not be able to handle all of the pressure."  
  
Thinking that one of the visitors might be Zack, Freddy reassured Nina that everything was okay, and that he would be cheered up if he saw people that he knew. So Nina left the room, only to come back a minute later with a group of people. Zack wasn't part of the group. Instead it was...  
  
Dewey Finn, Summer, Lawrence, Frankie, Gordon, and Billy. Freddy cringed slightly. He hadn't seen half these people since they graduated from the eight grade, since everyone decided to go to different high schools except for him and Zack. They were inseparable. Until now.  
  
"Shit, Freddy, you're alive!" Billy shrieked in his high tone of a voice. Freddy smirked. Some things never changed.  
  
"Billy, watch your tongue," Summer scolded. She waved a finger in Billy's face, and all of his reaction was an eye roll and the folding of his arms. If Summer was waving a finger in his face, Freddy assumed, he would have punched her. But Billy was still a little bit of a wuss.  
  
"Yo, chill out everyone. We didn't come here to fight. We came here to check on Spazzy McGee," Dewey said, silencing any further talk. Freddy sighed loudly. The only person that he allowed to call him Spazzy McGee was Zack.  
  
"How are you doing?" Gordon asked anxiously.  
  
"Yeah, dude, spill everything!" Frankie added.  
  
Freddy sighed, and told them the same thing that he told Mr. Jones. He was walking home from the video store last night when he was shot in the stomach. Of course, they seemed to believe every single word that he had said. Summer and Billy both had had disgusted looks on there faces when Freddy talked about smelling blood and what it felt like to be shot.  
  
His talking led to further discussion about many other things, and soon enough Nina came in to tell the group that they had to go. She seemed to think that Freddy needed some rest.  
  
As the group began to leave, Dewey tossed some music magazines into his lap. "Enjoy those while you're here," he said. As he began to exit the room Freddy called out a question to him.  
  
"Hey Dewey! Have you seen Zack?"  
  
Dewey shrugged and shook his head to say "No".  
  
Freddy moaned loudly, tossed the magazines to the floor, and then pulled the covers up over his head. He curled himself up into a ball as his tears began to slip slowly down his face. _'Then it_ _might as well be true,'_ Freddy thought. _'If Zack were still alive, he would have been here by now. He must really be...'  
_  
But Freddy refused to continue the thought. Continuing to cry silently, he was vaguely aware when the door to his hospital room opened and then closed. He heard, however, footsteps that stopped at, what Freddy believed, was the edge of his bed. Thinking that it might be Nina or one of the other nurses, he said, in one of his coldest voice tones,  
  
"I don't need anything Nina. Just go away!"  
  
"It's not Nina," a voice answered back in a calm tone.  
  
Freddy paused for a moment. He knew that voice. Could it be? He sat up and threw the covers away from his face. Yes, it could be.  
  
Freddy's face split into a huge grin.  
  
"Zack!" he exclaimed. The dark haired guitarist smiled at him, blushing a deep red. He was wearing the same clothes that he had had on the previous night, and looked rather tired.  
  
"Oh Zack!" Freddy continued on. "I thought the worst thing had happened to you! I thought you had been shot! I thought they had killed you!" He paused for a moment, realizing that he wasn't acting much like he normally did. Zack, however, broke the silence.  
  
"I'm alright," he reassured Freddy. "Enough about me. How are you feeling? I was up all night, worrying that you were dead!"  
  
Freddy smiled to himself. It seemed that he had found out whom his young friend was that Nina had mentioned earlier.  
  
"I'm feeling better, thanks," Freddy answered. "Zack, tell me. What happened after I passed out last night?"  
  
Zack frowned, and looked around for a place to sit. Seeing that there were no chairs, Zack looked to Freddy. Freddy patted the edge of his bed. Zack sat down, blushing a crimson red. Smiling to himself, Freddy crawled over his bed sheets to were Zack was sitting. He ended up behind the guitarist, so he leaned in a little bit and rested his chin of Zack's shoulder. Zack's eyes snapped shut and Freddy could hear his heart beat quicken.  
  
"Go on," Freddy whispered into Zack's ear. "I'm waiting."

"Well," Zack started up after a moment. "I was holding you in my arms when an ambulance came. A woman who was looking outside her window saw you get shot, and she panicked and called 9-1-1. So the doctor in the ambulance hooked you up to life support. They let me come a long, but maybe that was because I was in tears and hyperventilating. The men who shot you fled right after they did that, and the police department was busy questioning the woman. They wouldn't question me. So when we got to the hospital they ran you straight to the emergency room, and I heard from Nina that they were operating to get the bullet out of your stomach. I spent my night in the hospital. I tried sleeping, but I only managed to for about two hours."  
  
"Shit," Freddy said in surprise. "No wonder you look like you've been to hell and back!"  
  
Zack laughed nervously. There was a pause between the two. Freddy sighed loudly. He could feel his ADD acting up again. He was tempted to use the hand that wasn't hooked up to the intervenes to gently stroke Zack, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea.  
  
"Freddy?" Zack whispered nervously.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Out of curiosity, did you hear me say anything last night that would be...interesting?"  
  
Freddy frowned for a moment as he thought back to last night. "I remember you saying something to me about not dying before you started crying in my face. Otherwise I can't remember hearing anything else at all. Why?"  
  
Zack gulped nervously. "I told you something that I've wanted to tell you for awhile."  
  
"What was that?" Freddy asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Tell me now."  
  
Zack paused.  
  
"Come on," Freddy said. "It can't be that bad!"  
  
Zack sighed. "I said..." he started off.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said..."  
  
"What!"  
  
"Oh gosh, I don't think I can do this!"  
  
"Zachary Thomas Mooneyham, you either tell me what you said or I'll shove the intervenes down your throat!"

"I said..."  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"I love you, Freddy!"  
  
**Xxxxxxxx {tbc} **


	3. Chapter Three

**Laughing in the Face of Death – Chapter Three  
**  
Freddy's eyes widened in shock. Had Zack just said what Freddy thought Zack said?  
  
"There. I said it," Zack mumbled quietly. "I love you, Freddy. I always have and always will. You wouldn't know what it was like when I thought I had lost you. I can't live with out you. You're like my life support or something."  
  
Freddy was still speechless. He had always wished that Zack would profess his love to him, but he had to admit that he wasn't entirely prepared for it. Zack stood up abruptly. He coughed nervously.  
  
"Well, I think I'll be going," Zack said. "You should probably rest after last night."  
  
He turned to leave when Freddy's hand shot up to his shoulder. He tugged the dark haired guitarist back down onto the hospital bed, and looked him straight in the eye.  
  
"Kiss me."  
  
Zack blinked up at the blonde drummer. Had Freddy just said what Zack thought Freddy had said?  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said 'Kiss me' you fool!"  
  
Zack still didn't know what to make of Freddy's sudden statement. He was confused. Did that mean that Freddy liked him back?  
  
As for Freddy, he was getting a bit annoyed at Zack's lack of response. He rolled his eyes and, upon deciding that Zack was never going to kiss him, that he would kiss Zack.  
  
Which was exactly what Freddy did.  
  
Zack was surprised when Freddy's lips collided with his. He was a very fierce kisser, Zack noted, and he seemed to know what he was doing. Zack decided to respond, and he returned Freddy's kiss.  
  
Freddy knew that he had full control of where this kiss was going. He ran his free hand through Zack's hair, feeling its texture. His other hand was around Zack's waist. He pulled Zack closer to him so he could feel the warmth of his body. He was using one of his legs to gently massage Zack's own leg. Zack moaned loudly. Freddy smiled to himself.  
  
Now there was only one thing that was left for Freddy to do. He prodded his tongue on Zack's lips, demanding entrance into the boy's mouth. Zack reluctantly opened his mouth. Freddy slide his tongue inside. Zack moaned loudly again.  
  
Both boys would have liked the kiss to last longer, but Freddy ended it when a searing pain shot through his stomach. He rolled away from Zack, breathless, amazed, and hurting slightly.  
  
"Wow," Freddy mumbled. "I didn't know I could do that."  
  
"I didn't know that you could do that either," Zack mumbled as he sat up. Freddy was pleased to see that he was blushing furiously and that he looked slightly dazed. "Man, I never knew that my first kiss was going to be that intense."  
  
Freddy looked at Zack. "Your first kiss?" he asked him.  
  
Zack nodded. "Yeah. How lame is that? I'm sixteen years old and I just had my first kiss."  
  
Freddy sighed. "It was my first kiss too," he whispered.  
  
"What?" Zack looked at him curiously. "Did I just hear that Freddy's never kissed anyone before me?"  
  
Freddy was reluctant to answer, but he nodded eventually. Zack laughed.  
  
"Wow," he giggled. "Wow. Freddy 'The Lady Killer' Jones never kissed anyone but me."  
  
Freddy sat up, grabbed one of his pillows, and threw it at Zack's face. Zack caught it and beat Freddy over the head with it. Freddy finally managed to grab the pillow from Zack's hands and smiled at him.  
  
"Don't go calling me a lady killer, Mooneyham," he stated, nudging Zack with his foot.  
  
"Why not?" Zack questioned. "Every girl in the class thinks that you're gorgeous." He paused for a moment. "I think you're gorgeous."  
  
"Well," Freddy started, "I think that you are one sexy guitar player." He ran his hand through Zack's hair before pulling him down for what turned into a fifteen-minute make-out session.  
  
This time, Zack was responding with much harder kisses then he had been responding with before. Freddy was amazed. He never knew that his best friend could do that.  
  
He was very disappointed when Zack pulled away. Freddy was about to protest to Zack ending their kissing when he yawned loudly.  
  
"Man, I am so tired," Zack whispered. "I swear, I am never going to sleep for only two hours again!"  
  
Freddy sat up. "You need to rest," he said. He pointed his index finger towards his pillows. "You can take a nap in my bed."  
  
Zack shook his head. "No, no," he protested. "I didn't come here to sleep. I came here to be with my best friend."  
  
Freddy sighed loudly. "Well, I personally don't want my best friend to start suffering from insomnia. Just take the damn nap, Zack!"  
  
Zack continued to protest with Freddy.  
  
"I'm serious, Freddy! I don't need to sleep!"  
  
"I demand that you do!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Zachary Thomas Mooneyham! You take that nap or I will never, and I repeat, never talk to you again!"  
  
That seemed to do the trick. Zack sighed and pulled himself up to Freddy's pillows. Freddy pulled his blankets over Zack. Zack closed his eyes. Freddy crawled up to Zack and rested his head on his stomach.  
  
"I love you, Freddy," Zack mumbled.  
  
"I love you too, Zack," Freddy whispered. "I mean it. With all my heart."  
  
Zack smiled as he drifted off to sleep. Freddy remained awake, with his head still resting on Zack's stomach, for what felt like an hour. He was busy stroking Zack's cheek when the door to his hospital room opened and then closed.  
  
Freddy panicked. Looking over at the door he saw Zack's twenty year-old sister, Liz, standing by the closed door. Freddy was about to say something when Liz put her finger to her lips and then pointed at her brother. Freddy nodded. Liz went out the door for a moment, and then came back with a chair. She placed the chair at the edge of Freddy's bed and then went and looked the hospital room door. Liz patted the edge of Freddy's bed. Freddy was a bit reluctant to leave Zack, but he did as he was told. He crawled up to the edge of the bed.  
  
"Hey," he said to Liz nervously. She smiled at him. "Look, what you just saw..."  
  
Liz cut Freddy off. "Freddy, it's okay. I knew Zack liked you."  
  
Freddy raised his eyebrows. "You did?" he asked.  
  
Liz nodded. "Of course. You should have heard him when he called me last night. He was in tears, screaming about how he thought he had lost you and what not."  
  
Freddy nodded thoughtfully. "So, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to get Zack," Liz answered. She leaned in towards Freddy and whispered, "Our father doesn't know he's here."  
  
Freddy's eyes widened. "What?" he said. "Mr. Mooneyham doesn't know?" He leaned back slightly. "That can't be good."  
  
Liz nodded in agreement. "Dad called me last night, screaming in frustration at how Zack said he had gone to the library for an hour and never came back. He asked me if I knew where he was. I said that he was staying with me."  
  
Freddy nodded. Liz went to New York University. She lived in the same apartment building that Freddy lived in. Freddy knew that Zack liked spending time with his sister. Zack hated his father. Infact, Freddy thought to himself, he was sure that everyone hated Mr. Mooneyham.  
  
"Dad barely let that one slide by," Liz was saying. "He started screaming about how Zack was a liar and how he was going to regret lying to him when he went home."  
  
"When does Zack have to go back to your parents?" Freddy asked anxiously.  
  
"Tomorrow," Liz answered. She grimaced. Both looked over at Zack. He was still sleeping, oblivious to the fact that his sister and his best friend where discussing him.  
  
"I swear," Freddy started, "That if your father dare lays a hand on Zack in any way that could hurt him that your father will pay." He turned to look at Liz and see her reaction. She smiled at him.  
  
"I agree with you," she said. "He's done enough. He's given all of us – my mother, Zack, me – emotional scars. I can't remember a night that my mother wasn't crying, or a time when Zack wasn't hiding with me, both of us holding each other in fear." She stopped. Then she looked back at Freddy. "Promise me that you'll never hurt Zack," she whispered. "Promise me that you'll be there for him in a time when I can't be there for him. Be there for him when he was no where else to turn. Protect him, Freddy. Zack loves you so much." She paused as tears began to slip down her face.  
  
"I'd die for Zack," Freddy whispered back. "I promise that I'll take good care of him." Liz smiled. She and Freddy hugged for a moment. When they pulled away Liz asked:  
  
"So, what did happen last night?"  
  
Freddy smiled. "I'll tell you the truth."  
  
So he told Liz his story. She listened intently. Soon after they began to talk about other things, and two more hours flew by. Suddenly, Zack stirred.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked, sitting up and looking around. "Liz!" he cried out, jumping off the bed and hugging his sister.  
  
"Good morning," she said to him. "It's time to take you home."  
  
"You look better," Freddy said to Zack. Zack smiled at Freddy as he went red.  
  
"Thanks," he mumbled.  
  
"You two are the cutest couple I have ever seen," Liz said jokingly. Zack nudged her slightly. Freddy laughed.  
  
"Why, thank you!" he exclaimed. He stood up next to Zack and slipped his arm around his slim figure. "I just couldn't keep him away from me!" Zack opened his mouth in shock. Liz laughed.  
  
"I can't keep myself away from him," Freddy whispered in a serious tone of voice. Zack looked at him.  
  
"Do you mean it?" he asked. Freddy nodded.  
  
He kissed Zack.  
  
Zack kissed him back.  
  
They both kissed each other, and started in on what promised to be a good make-out session when someone started rattling the hospital room door.  
  
"I think I better go," Zack said, pulling himself slowly away from Freddy. Freddy nodded. Liz unlocked the door, and Nina came bustling in.  
  
"Dear, please don't lock the door next time!" she exclaimed. She looked at Liz and Zack.  
  
"We were just leaving," Liz said, grabbing Zack by the arm. Nina nodded.  
  
"I came to tell you that your parents' managed to catch another plane to New York," Nina said. "They will be arriving shortly."  
  
Freddy nodded.  
  
"Also," Nina began. "The doctors say that they will be able to take you off the intervenes and send you home tomorrow." Freddy and Zack cheered. Nina smiled and left the room.  
  
"Let's go," Liz said, tugging at Zack.  
  
"Hold on!" he said to his sister. He walked up to Freddy.  
  
"See you tomorrow?" he said to Freddy.  
  
"Of course," Freddy answered. Zack kissed him. He then left with his sister.  
  
Freddy ran to the hospital room window and peered through it. He saw Zack walking with his sister. He turned and waved at Freddy. Freddy waved back. Then they got into Liz's dark blue Ford Explorer and drove off.  
  
Freddy smiled to himself and sat back down on his bed. Then something crept back into his head.  
  
Would Mr. Mooneyham do something to Zack when he went home tomorrow?  
  
**Xxxxxxxx {tbc}**


	4. Chapter Four

**Laughing in the Face of Death - Chapter Four **

**Zack woke up the next morning in his bed in his sister's apartment. He had had an uneasy sleep; the constant thoughts of his father kept him up most of the night. Liz said that it would be okay, but Zack wasn't too sure about that. **

**After he had gotten dressed Zack trudged into the kitchen where Liz was making breakfast. **

"**Are waffles okay with you?" she asked him as she placed a plate of steaming hot waffles in front of him. **

**Zack smiled. "Only if you make them." He began to munch on the waffles when the phone rang. Liz picked it up. **

"**Hello?" she said. "Oh, sure. Of course you can." Liz turned to Zack. "It's Freddy," she whispered. She smiled and handed the phone to Zack, who eagerly put the receiver to his ear. **

"**Freddy?" Zack almost screamed into the phone. He heard someone laughing on the other end. **

"**Hey Zack! Why do you sound so anxious to talk to me?" came the answer. **

"**I've just missed you that's all." **

"**Wow! I feel loved!" **

"**Oh shut up! You know I mean it!" **

"**Yeah I know. Listen, my parents arrived at the hospital around one o'clock in the morning. They are planning on taking me home around four. So I guess I can try to see you then." **

**Zack paused for a moment. "I might be back home by four."**

**There was a silence on Freddy's end of the phone. After a moment he spoke. "Listen Zack, I don't want you to take any crap from your father. Do you hear me? Do not take any crap from your father. If he touches you in any way then I want you to call Liz or me right away. Promise me that."**

"**I promise," Zack whispered into the phone. **

"**So you're okay right now?" Freddy asked him. **

"**Yeah," Zack answered. "I'll be fine." **

"**Good," Freddy replied. Zack heard him talking to someone else. "Listen Zack, I got to go eat breakfast with my parents."**

"**Alright," Zack said. **

"**Bye!" Freddy called into the phone. **

"**I love you!" Zack called back. **

"**I love you too!" Freddy whispered before Zack heard the phone click off. He handed the phone to Liz, who hung it up. **

**Zack folded his arms on the table and then buried his head in them. "Oh Liz!" he moaned. "I'm so afraid of seeing dad later! I know he's going to hurt me! I just know it!" **

**Liz moved over and pulled her brother into a hug. "I don't know what will happen to you later," she admitted. "But I do know that if he hurts you that I want you to call me or Freddy."**

**Zack peered up at his sister. "Freddy said something like that."**

"**I'm not surprised if he did."**

**Zack sighed loudly. He pulled himself away from his sister and walked into her den. He flopped on her couch and put on the TV. He had read in the paper last night that MTV was having a day of rock classics. **

**Zack had been watching MTV for a few hours when he heard someone knocking on Liz's door. He shut off the TV and peered over the edge of the couch to see if he could see anyone. **

**Liz walked to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway was Mr. Mooneyham. He looked to be in a sour mood. **

"**Dad," Liz said courtly. Mr. Mooneyham strolled in. **

"**Where is he?" he asked in a solemn tone. "Where is that lying piece of shit that I call my son?" **

**Zack cringed from his spot on the couch. "He's in there," he heard Liz answer. There were footsteps and soon Mr. Mooneyham was leering over Zack. **

"**Hey Dad," Zack said meekly, giving off a small smile.**

**Mr. Mooneyham didn't return a reply. He just nodded to the door. Zack pulled himself off the couch and headed to the door. As he was about to leave he looked at Liz. She was pointing to the phone. He nodded and then left. **

**The father and son walked down the long hallways that finally lead to the ground floor. Mr. Mooneyham led Zack to the family car, which was a black Mercedes. He pushed Zack into the black seat and then drove off. **

**Nothing was said between the two. Zack could tell that his father was in a very dangerous mood by the way he cut a few cars off and cut the turns at high speeds.**

_'_**_Maybe I'll get lucky. Maybe Dad will crash the car and I'll die and I'll never have to deal with him again!' _Zack thought to himself. Then he remembered Freddy. Freddy would be crushed if Zack died. Freddy had been through so much already...**

**Zack was jolted from his memories of Freddy when Mr. Mooneyham pulled into their apartment parking lot and slammed on the breaks. He removed himself from the car and then opened Zack's door. **

"**Get out," he commanded. "Get out!" **

**Zack pulled himself from the car and followed Mr. Mooneyham into the apartment building. They climbed the stairs until they reached the hallway in which they lived. Mr. Mooneyham dug around for his key in his pocket. He found it, opened the door, and then pushed Zack inside. He closed the door, took off his jacket, and went inside for something. **

**Zack looked around his home. It was still the dirty mess that it had always been. He looked around for his mother. He heard soft weeping noises coming from one of the rooms inside. Zack ran over to the nearest room. It was the guest bedroom. He peered inside. **

**Sitting on the floor was Mrs. Mooneyham. She was holding one of her many handkerchiefs and dabbing her eyes. She was wearing the color black, which was normal to see on her. Zack supposed that Mrs. Mooneyham wore black as a sign that she was mourning over something. What it could have been Zack did not know. **

"**Mom," Zack whispered, getting down on his knees and eyeing his mother sorrowfully. She was a beautiful woman. Or she had been. The countless years spent with his father had changed her physical form so much. **

"**Zack," she whispered. She held her arms open. Zack hugged her. Suddenly, a cold voice could be heard behind them. **

"**Move away from your mother, Zachary." **

**Zack turned around to see Mr. Mooneyham standing behind him. He was holding his leather belt in his hand. **

**Zack didn't move. He didn't want to leave his mother. He closed his eyes and waited for what was to come. **

**Mr. Mooneyham raised the leather belt and brought it down hard on Zack's back. Zack screamed out in pain as he rolled from his mother's arms and laid on the floor.**

**His mother screamed next to him as she jumped up, ran into the guest room bathroom, and then locked the door. Hysterical weeping could be heard from inside the bathroom. **

**Mr. Mooneyham raised the belt again and brought it down hard on Zack's stomach. Zack screamed out in pain again and clutched at his stomach. **

**Mr. Mooneyham kicked Zack in the side. Zack winced. He felt himself being jerked upwards by his father until he was face to face with him. **

"**How dare you lie to me," Mr. Mooneyham whispered in a deadly tone. "How dare you." He shoved Zack into the wall. **

**Zack hit the wall, and a vase that had been on a shelf above him fell off and hit him on the head. Zack screamed as a piece of stray glass sliced the palm of his hand. **

**Mrs. Mooneyham screamed from the inside of the bathroom again. "My baby!" she shrieked. "My baby!" **

**Zack cringed as Mr. Mooneyham grabbed him again. He was pushed to the floor. Mr. Mooneyham began to hit him with the belt again and again until Mr. Mooneyham was sure that he had left permanent damage. He left the guest bedroom and then the apartment. **

**As for Zack, he was still lying on the guest bedroom floor. His hand was bleeding, and he was pretty sure that he had at least four gashes in his back that was bleeding. He felt so weak, so alone. He couldn't move. **

**Zack lay on the floor for at least an hour. Finally, he felt the strength to move. He dragged himself over to the door, and pulled himself up. He clutched at the wall as if it were a walking stick, and somehow made it to his bedroom. **

**Zack collapsed on the bed. He shoved his hand under the pillow and felt around for something. Finally he felt it. He pulled out his phone. He dialed a number that he knew so well by heart. **

"**Hello?" a female voice answered. **

"**Mrs. Jones?" Zack whispered into the phone. "Is Freddy there?"**

"**Sure Zack! Hold on for a moment!" Mrs. Jones put down the phone. It was picked up a moment later by an anxious sounding Freddy. **

"**Zack! Zack! Are you okay?" Freddy screamed into the phone. **

"**Oh Freddy," Zack whispered. "My Dad...he was brutal...I'm hurting..."**

"**He abused you!" Freddy yelled into the phone. "Zack, Zack hold on!" **

"**Listen," Zack whispered. "Get Liz. Bring her here. Hurry before he gets back..."**

"**Of course," Freddy whispered into the phone. He hung up. **

"**Mom, Dad, I'm going out!" Freddy called, grabbing his jacket and running out the door. He took the elevator down to the fourth floor. He ran to Liz's apartment door. He started banging on the door. Liz opened it.**

"**Zack needs our help!" Freddy cried out. **

"**He called you?" Liz exclaimed. Freddy nodded. **

"**Yes! Now hurry up, before it's to late!" **

**Liz grabbed her car keys. "Let's go!" she cried out. **

**Xxxxxxxx {tbc} **


	5. Chapter Five

**Laughing in the Face of Death - Chapter Five**

Liz drove as fast as she could towards the Mooneyham apartment building. '_Hold on Zack,' _she thought to herself. _'Don't let go!' _

Next to Liz was Freddy. He was biting his fingernails, which was something he normally did whenever he was nervous. Freddy had every reason to be nervous now. The boy he loved so much was lying somewhere in his own home, wounded.

"Do you think we'll need to take him to the hospital?" Freddy asked anxiously.

"I hope not," Liz answered. "My father has never really done anything too horrible."

"But this time might be different," Freddy pointed out.

Liz sighed. "Let's just hope he's considerably alright." She fiddled with the steering wheel. "Oh look, we're here!"

Liz pulled into the parking space outside the apartment building. Freddy literally launched himself from his seat. He started running towards the entrance, Liz following him. Freddy ran towards the stairwell, running up the stairs. Finally he came to the fourth floor. Freddy left the stairwell, ran to Zack's door, and started slamming his fists onto the door. Liz appeared next to him_. _She pulled at key from her pocket and unlocked the door. Freddy burst threw.

"Zack!" he screamed. "Zack!"

"I'm in here!" a weak voice called from somewhere inside. Freddy ran off towards the sound.

"Call again!" Freddy shouted.

"My room!" the voice answered.

Freddy ran straight into Zack's room. Zack was sprawled out on his bed, a bloody hand lying across his stomach. Zack smiled at Freddy.

"Hello," Zack whispered.

"Shit," Freddy mumbled. "Zack...you look...."

"Horrible, I know. Is Liz here?"

"Of course she is. We've come to take you to our home."

"That would be nice. I'd be away from my father."

Freddy sighed and lifted Zack off of his bed. Zack winced slightly; Freddy's arms had touched the fresh cuts that patterned his back. Trying to move slowly so he wouldn't drop Zack, Freddy walked into the hallway. Liz appeared from another room. The minute she saw her younger brother she ran over to him.

"Oh gosh!" she cried out quietly. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," Zack answered.

Liz looked to Freddy. "My mother's locked herself in her guest room bathroom. She doesn't want to leave. She has know idea where my father went. I just think we should get out of here. Now."

Freddy nodded in agreement. The three of them exited the room, taking the elevator down instead of the stairs. A few additional passengers were staring at Zack's slightly limp form lying in Freddy's arms, but all they received were glares from the blonde drummer.

Finally the trio made it outside. After Liz had unlocked her car Freddy laid Zack in the back seat. Zack hadn't spoken since he had been rescued from his room. He looked up to Freddy and smiled. Liz and Freddy sat in the front seats and Liz drove off.

Finally they reached Liz and Freddy's apartment building. Since they didn't want to create anything that looked too suspicious they made Zack walk all the way up to Liz's apartment building. Once they managed to get inside they had Zack lie down on Liz's guestroom bed.

"What did Dad do to you?" Liz asked him.

Zack sighed. "The old belt had a few visits with my skin," he answered. "Then he threw me against the wall and a vase broke and cut my hand."

Freddy winced slightly. "Ouch," he said.

Zack nodded. "Tell me about it," he mumbled.

Liz stood up. "I'll look for some bandages," she said. "Freddy, help Zack take his shirt off." She left.

Freddy smiled at Zack. "I'll help you take your shirt off," he said. "And a lot more, if you'd like!"

Zack went red. He tried to say something, but no words managed to escape his mouth. Freddy kissed his gently on his lips.

"Don't say anything," he whispered. Zack nodded. Freddy tugged Zack's tee shirt off from his head. He looked at Zack's half naked body. Freddy had to try hard to keep his mouth from dropping open.

The size of the gashes that played across Zack's chest were horrible. Freddy couldn't believe his eyes. How could anyone do this to someone? Especially if it was there own son!

"Shit," Freddy whispered again.

Zack smiled meekly. Liz walked back into the room. The look on her face was one of being unfazed. Freddy wasn't surprised. He was sure that Liz had seen worse from her father. Liz began to clean up Zack's wounds. Soon enough she was wrapping Zack up in bandages. Zack reminded Freddy of himself when he had been in the hospital.

Finally Liz left. Zack smiled at Freddy. "I look like a mummy, don't I?" he said.

Freddy smiled and flopped down on the bed next to him. "Sort of," Freddy answered.

The boys smiled at each other. They began a make-out session. Freddy had to be extra careful, only because he didn't want to hurt Zack.

The hours ticked by. Soon Liz had to drag both boys in to eat dinner. Liz cooked them soup.

"It's chicken noodle," she said as she placed the bowls in front of the boys.

"Looks good to me," Freddy answered.

"So, did interrupt something before?" Liz asked, smiling at the boys. Zack went bright red and shoved a spoonful of soup into his mouth so he didn't have to answer.

Freddy smiled mischievously. "What if we were?" he replied, running his hands over Zack's back. Zack shuddered out of delight.

Liz rolled her eyes. "You two," she said, tossing a wet dishtowel at Freddy's face.

"Hey!" Freddy shouted as the dishtowel collided with his face. "Why didn't you toss this at Zack?"

"He's my little brother!" Liz said, hugging Zack. "I can't hurt him!"

"You can't hurt me, but Dad sure can," Zack mumbled. He pushed out his chair and stormed off. Freddy and Liz looked at each other.

"Was it something I said?" Liz asked. Freddy shrugged and followed Zack.

Freddy burst into Zack's bedroom to find a tearful Zack lying on his bed. Freddy knew better then to ask Zack what was wrong. He already knew.

"It's alright," Freddy whispered to Zack. He slipped his arms around the boy. "It's okay. I promise you." Zack whimpered and dug his head into Freddy's shoulder.

"It's not fair!" Zack moaned. "Why me? What did I do to make my father hate me so much that he has to hurt me? Why?"

Zack burst into a bout of fresh, new tears. Freddy couldn't answer him. He didn't know why his father didn't care. Freddy's family loved him, and he knew that very well. Zack had had a very hard life. Freddy stiffened slightly. Mr. Mooneyham would have to pay.

Suddenly they sound of thunder and lightening could be heard from outside the apartment building. Zack shuddered slightly and Freddy tightened his grip on the dark haired guitarist. The two spent a good portion of the night lying on Zack's bed with Freddy's arms around him.

Finally, around eleven o'clock that night, Freddy could tell that Zack had fallen asleep. He carefully pulled himself away from the guitarist, kissed him on his forehead, and then slipped out into the kitchen. Liz was sitting in the den watching TV. Freddy quietly snuck out the door.

He took the elevator down and burst through the apartment door moments later. Looking around he stole away into many different alleyways, sneaking around and trying to go unnoticed. Finally he came to the street that he need. He walked to one of the shops. The sign on the door read 'Closed', but Freddy knew that the owner was waiting for him.

Freddy pounded on the glass door and waited. Finally the door opened a crack and a pair of eyes appeared behind it.

"Here's your order Mr. Jones," the owner said as he shoved a bag with something heavy into Freddy's hands.

"Here's your money," Freddy said, shoving a few dollar bills back at the man. The door to the shop closed and Freddy left as fast as he had come.

Sneaking back into Liz's apartment Freddy stashed the bag under the sofa. Then he slipped back into Zack's room. Zack was still sleeping. Freddy yawned loudly and rejoined Zack on the bed.

Tomorrow would be quite eventful.

**Xxxxxxxx {tbc} **


	6. Chapter Six

**Laughing in the Face of Death – Chapter Six**

The next morning the two tired boys suffered from a very rude awakening. Some idiot driving a car outside insisted on making their car tires squeal extra loudly. Many horns were blown after this.

It shocked Freddy the worst. He screamed loudly from fright as he rolled off of Zack's bed. He muttered curses under his breath as he lifted himself up of the floor. Freddy looked over at Zack, who had sat up in bed and was yawning.

"Damn asshole," Freddy said as he walked over to Zack's window and peered outside it. There was no one to be seen, so Freddy couldn't exactly scream insults at the person who had almost caused a car accident.

"After living in New York City for so many years you're still not used to assholes who drive recklessly through the city?" Zack asked as he joined Freddy by the window.

"It's not that," Freddy answered. "I was sleeping."

"It's ten thirty in the morning," Zack pointed out. "I think that it would have been the right time for you to get up anyway." Freddy nodded.

He sat down on Zack's bed. Zack walked around his room, pulling out clothes from drawers that he normally used while staying with his sister. After dressing in the bathroom (despite Freddy's protests that it would have been okay for Zack to undress in front of him) Zack flopped down on the bed next to Freddy.

They kissed.

After Freddy pulled away Zack looked at him and said, "Where did you go last night?"

Freddy stiffened slightly. "I thought you were asleep," he said, hopping that Zack wouldn't notice his sudden uneasiness.

"I was until you left me," Zack responded. "Then I waited up for a little while. When you didn't come back fast enough I fell asleep again. But answer me. Where did you go?"

"I just went out to get something," Freddy answered, half truthfully. "I'd been planning to pick it up for a few days by now."

Zack raised his eyebrows and was about to object when the two heard a loud knocking noise coming from inside the apartment. Zack froze. It couldn't be...he couldn't have come to find him already...

It seemed as if Freddy could read Zack's mind. "You think it's your father, don't you?" he whispered to Zack. Zack nodded slowly, the color slowly draining from his face.

"He won't hurt you," Freddy whispered quietly to Zack. "I promise."

Zack nodded again. Very slowly Zack got off his bed. "Stay here," he whispered meekly as he slowly walked from his room, shutting the door behind him. Freddy walked over to the door and peered through the keyhole.

He could see Liz standing by an open door. Next to her was someone wearing a long black jacket. Mr. Mooneyham. Next to Mr. Mooneyham was a tall skinny woman in a skirt. Mrs. Mooneyham. Freddy could hear the sound of muffled weeping.

"Dad, please try and remain calm," Liz was saying to her father.

"Stay calm? Your brother ran out on us. Again," Mr. Mooneyham was saying, his voice low and dangerous.

"He didn't run out on us," Liz said. "I picked him up. You abused him again."

Mr. Mooneyham laughed loudly. Next to him the frail figure of Mrs. Mooneyham was shaking.

"Yes, I know that I abused your brother. Eventually he'll understand that once he stops disobeying us then that will be the time that we won't hurt him."

Freddy clenched his fist. The stupid lousy bastard...he was lying...he was so sure of it...

Zack must have thought the same thing too, for he yelled, "You liar! You lousy fucking liar!"

"What did you just call me boy?" Mr. Mooneyham growled.

"A fucking liar," Zack replied calmly. "You would hurt me every chance that you could. When you're drunk... when you're angry... when you think I disobey you...but I've had enough of it...I'm done with you and this family...I want to stay here with Liz...and someone else...because you know what Dad...I'm gay!"

Mrs. Mooneyham shrieked loudly. Freddy swelled up with pride. His dear Zack had admitted that he was gay.

"With who?" he heard Mr. Mooneyham growl.

"Freddy Jones," Zack said proudly.

"Him? That dirty piece of white trash?" Mr. Mooneyham was saying in a voice that would have been good for taunting.

"Hey, we're white too!" Zack exclaimed. "And Freddy is not a piece of trash."

He paused. Freddy could have guessed what was coming next.

"You are."

That must have sent Mr. Mooneyham off the deep end. The next thing that Freddy knew Mr. Mooneyham had crossed Liz's kitchen and grabbed Zack. He heard Zack scream in pain. The blood in Freddy's veins froze. He had never, in his years of knowing Zack, heard in scream like that. Never.

Unsure of what to do, a memory of the discussion that Freddy had had with Liz came back into his mind:

"_I agree with you...He's done enough. He's given all of us - my mother, Zack, me - emotional scars. I can't remember a night that my mother wasn't crying, or a time when Zack wasn't hiding with me, both of us holding each other in fear. Promise me that you'll never hurt Zack. Promise me that you'll be there for him in a time when I can't be there for him. Be there for him when he has no where else to turn. Protect him., Freddy. Zack loves you so much."_

And how had he answered? Oh yes:

"_I'd die for Zack. I promise that I'll take good care of him." _

Freddy had meant it. He rushed back over to Zack's bed and pulled out the paper bag. He reached inside for the content. Yes, there it was. It gleamed black as the night sky. Putting it behind his back, Freddy entered into the confusion.

Mr. Mooneyham had Zack pinned against the wall. His hand was grasped around some of Zack's hair. Mrs. Mooneyham was cowering in the corner, crying and screaming in fear at the same time. Lying on the floor next to her was Liz. Her eyes drifted over to Freddy. They were filled with pain, and she was crying slightly.

"_Promise me that you'll be there for him in a time when I can't be there for him... Protect him, Freddy...Zack loves you so much."_

"Hey asshole!" Freddy called out to Mr. Mooneyham. He turned to head to face Freddy. Freddy smirked at him.

"Looking for me?"

Mr. Mooneyham released his grip from Zack and turned slowly towards Freddy. There eyes met.

"Stupid bastard," he heard Mr. Mooneyham mumbled dangerously under his breath. "Stupid lousy fucking bastard. I suppose you heard me call you a piece of white trash?"

"Yeah, I heard you," Freddy replied calmly. He tightened his grip upon the item that he was hiding behind his back.

"Really?" Mr. Mooneyham said. "Then you should know what I said was true. You're a waste to human society, Freddy. Everyone that's just like you. Your reckless and gay. Isn't that wonderful? But you're just like your parents...and that's not saying that they're both as worthless as you are."

Anger seared through Freddy's body. "How dare you," he whispered. "Having a go at me is alright. You just draw the line. But when you hurt the boy I love and then insult my parents, well I'll just put it plainly, you've crossed the line."

Freddy removed the item that he had been hiding behind his back so it could be seen it plain view. Mrs. Mooneyham shrieked. Zack's eyes widened.

"That's what you bought last night?" Zack whispered. "A gun?"

Freddy smiled slightly. "Yes a gun," he said. "And if you want to know why Zack, then it's to protect you. I'm tired of seeing you in pain. I'm tired of seeing your mother cry and cry and never do a thing about it. I'm tired of seeing your sister try to help you get away but always having her plans backfire."

Freddy raised the gun so it would point directly at Mr. Mooneyham.

"I made a promise," Freddy continued on. "A promise to protect Zack. Right now he needs protection. From you." His eyes lingered on Mr. Mooneyham. Freddy closed his eyes.

He pulled the trigger.

The next noises he heard were the sound of a body falling on the ground and Mrs. Mooneyham shrieking again.

Freddy opened his eyes.

There was Mr. Mooneyham. Dead on the floor. Across from him was Liz, who had sat up and was peering at her father's dead body.

Freddy turned his head to look at Zack.

Zack's face had turned a pale color, and his eyes held fear. He looked up at Freddy.

Zack opened his mouth and whispered:

"You saved me."

The next thing Freddy knew he had dropped his gun and Zack ran into his open arms. He could hear Zack crying into his shoulder. Freddy tightened his grip on the boy. Zack had frown so frail lately that it seemed if Freddy wasn't holding onto him tightly enough that Zack would slip away and be lost forever.

Freddy was sure that a part of Zack was lost. The part that went when Zack saw his father die right before his eyes.

Not to far from them Liz stood up. She walked over to Freddy, her hand clutched around her knee. When she reached them she smiled up at Freddy and said:

"Thank you."

**Xxxxxxxx {tbc}**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Laughing in the Face of Death - Chapter Seven**

It was a snowy day when the funeral for Mr. Mooneyham was held. Earlier last week Freddy had called the police, where they came to investigate the scene of the crime. Liz told them a convincing story that Mr. Mooneyham had been mentally impaired, and shot himself from grief.

Zack, Liz, and Mrs. Mooneyham had told the officers that they had been abused by Mr. Mooneyham for many years.

Freddy said he had been staying over at Zack's house and had nothing to do with Mr. Mooneyham's death.

The cars rolled into the cemetery. Freddy got out and waved his parents off.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" his mother asked him.

Freddy nodded. "Yes Mom. I'll call you when it's time to pick me up."

His mother waved good-bye as his father drove off. Freddy ran up the hill to where the a large gather of people stood. The priest was saying a few last prayers over Mr. Mooneyham's casket. Freddy peered through the crowd for Zack. He didn't see him. Across from him he spotted Liz. They made eye contact, and Liz's eyes seemed to direct him down on the other side of the hill.

Freddy slipped away from the crowd and headed down to the other side of the cemetery. He spotted Zack, his back to Freddy. Zack was atop another grave stone. Freddy walked over to him, his feet barely making any noise in the snow. When he reached Zack he slipped his arms around his waist and kissed him gently on the neck. Zack squeezed his hand and turned his head so he could kiss Freddy's forehead.

"Hello," Zack mumbled.

"Hello," Freddy replied, walking in front of Zack and kissing his lips gently.

When Freddy pulled away he asked, "So why are you down here and not up with your family?"

Zack shifted slightly, allowing Freddy to sit down next to him. Freddy slipped his arms around Zack again and leaned his head on Zack's shoulder.

"Come on!" Freddy moaned. "Spill it."

Zack sighed. "Well, I've been thinking," he whispered.

"About what?" asked Freddy.

"About why my father abused me," Zack responded.

Freddy stiffened slightly. "Zack, why would you think about that?" he asked.

Zack pointed his finger at the gravestone across from him. "See that gravestone?" he whispered. "Read what it says."

Freddy eyed the gravestone. "Douglas Edward...." Freddy gasped at the last name. "_Mooneyham?_"

Zack nodded. "Born on April 8th, 1973. Died March 11th, 1991."

"How was he related to your family?" Freddy asked. "And why are you showing me him?"

"Call this bizarre," Zack said, laughing slightly. "But I think that Douglas was the entire reason that my father abused me."

"How?" Freddy asked.

Well," Zack started. "Douglas was the son of my Uncle Mike. He was fifteen years old when I was born. I was three years old when he died. He was eighteen. I don't really remember Doug, he's mostly just a blur, but there are pictures and videos of us from when we were younger. My mother said that I was his favorite cousin."

"What's the point of this?" Freddy asked.

"I'm getting to it!" Zack exclaimed. "Anyway, they lived in on the floor below us. Doug used to watch Liz and I all the time. Doug used to be part of a band called Retired Virus. He was the lead guitarist. There are clips of us on the video tapes where he's playing the guitar. He used to teach me a few keys. I broke a few of his strings."

"Doug was a little bit wild. He had overly long hair for a guy, and he wore black at every one of his concerts. My mother said that Doug used to deal with drugs and a little alcohol. My father wasn't very fond of the drugs and alcohol. He was also goofing off a little bit. Soon he started to appear less and less on the videos."

"Then one night, when I was about three, Doug was doing a concert with his band mates. He collapsed on stage after the third song. There were pictures of him in a magazine the next day. He was lying on the stretcher, waving at the camera's and shouting 'Rock on hard!'"

"That day grew into tomorrow. It was on the news that night. He had died in the hospital of a combined drug and alcohol overdose, along with a bit of a heat stroke due to the lighting of the stage."

"My Uncle Mike and Aunt Angela were devastated. My father was even more in shock then they were. He supposedly thought that Doug was a perfect child. Up until a point in his life. As I grew up and learned to play the guitar I remember the look of horror in his eyes any time he would see me practice. I remember him muttering under his breath 'He'll turn out to be just like Doug.' He even fought with my mother over it."

"That was when the abuse started. One night my father and mother were arguing over my guitar playing. I remember hearing Doug's name mentioned a countless amount of times. My mother said something that my father disagreed with. He slapped her. Then he stormed into my room, and beat me. I was eight. I didn't know what was happening."

Freddy sat up. "I remember that day you came into school. You wouldn't talk to anybody that day. Except for me."

Zack nodded. "You were the only one I trusted back then, Freddy."

Freddy felt Zack shake slightly in his arms. Tears started flowing down the brown eyed guitarist's eyes. Freddy closed his arms around him in a tighter embrace then the one he had supplied before.

"Don't leave me!" Zack choked out through his tears. "Please. Please. Please. I don't have anyone else." More tears spewed from Zack's eyes. "I need you Freddy. More then ever before. I've..I've known I've said this before but..."

Zack paused and took in a sharp intake of breath.

"I really do love you."

Freddy smiled to himself.

"I know you love me," Freddy whispered to Zack. "You wouldn't be with me at the moment if you hated me."

Zack laughed and stood up, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Look at me standing here and crying," he said, laughing again.

"Don't be ashamed of crying," Freddy said, standing up also. "It's okay for guys to cry."

"I've never seen you cry," Zack pointed out.

Freddy sighed. "I don't have anything to cry over," Freddy admitted. "Trust me. I'll let you know the day that I start to bawl all over the place."

Zack smiled. "Yeah. You'll be on the telephone crying in my ear."

Freddy moved closer to Zack. "Who said I'll be on the telephone?" he whispered into Zack's ear. Zack quivered.

Freddy kissed Zack gently on the lips.

Zack giggled. "Your lips are cold!" he exclaimed.

Freddy smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"I might need some one to help me warm them up a little," he whispered again. Zack smiled and blushed a bright red.

"I could help you with that," Zack said to Freddy. Freddy smiled brightly.

"C'mon," Freddy said, taking Zack's hand. He began to pull Zack towards the edge of the cemetery.

"Where are we going?" Zack asked.

"I'm calling my parents," Freddy answered. "You're staying over the night."

"But we have school tomorrow!" Zack cried out.

Freddy looked at him. "Where not going to school tomorrow, okay? You need sometime to heal after a death. I'm going to be right there with you, as long as it takes."

Zack smiled. "Oh alright," he said. He slipped his arms around Freddy.

Off they walked, both knowing that tonight would be purely magical.

**Xxxxxxxx fin**

**Welcome to the end of this fanfiction! I hope that you all enjoyed it! I want to thank all of my reviewers who helped keep me motivated enough to actually start and then finish a fanfic! I don't know what I'll be writing next, but who knows? Maybe I'll through out another Zack/Freddy fic in the future! Keep me in the back of your minds incase I do!**

**Mark of CTown**


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